With the injury to super-utility player Dylan Moore, the Mariners opted to call up Samad Taylor from Triple-A Tacoma. Taylor isn’t new to the Mariners organization, having been with the club since early 2024, when the Mariners acquired him in a minor trade with the Royals. What is new: a mindset that’s helped him unlock more damage at the plate, thanks to being grounded in his approach both physically and mentally.
One shy of 100 plate appearances, Taylor’s line in Tacoma looks very different from last season. He’s always been able to take his walks, running a double-digit walk rate in virtually every stop in his big-league career, but he’s shaved ten points off his strikeout rate from last season with Tacoma.